Manage email messages by using rules

A rule is an action that Outlook for Windows runs automatically on incoming or outgoing messages. You choose what triggers the rule as well as the actions the rule takes. For example, you can create a rule to move all messages from your manager to a folder or to delete all messages with "Buy now!" in the subject.

How rules help you manage email messages

By using rules, you can reduce manual and repetitive actions needed to manage your email messages. When you turn on rules, they run continuously and automatically.

Rules generally fall into one of two categories—organization or notification. You can use the Rules Wizard to help you design rules to manage your messages.

The Rules Wizard includes templates for the most frequently used rules.

Stay OrganizedThese rules help you not only to file messages, but also to follow-up with messages. You can create a rule for messages from a specific sender. So you could set a rule, for example, that messages received from Keri Mills with the word "sales" in the Subject box are to be flagged for follow-up, categorized as Sales, and moved to a folder named Keri’s Sales.

Stay Up to DateThese rules notify you—based on choices you make—when you receive a particular message. You can create a rule, for example, that automatically sends a message to a mobile device when you receive a message from a family member.

Start from a blank ruleThese are rules that you can create and customize without a rule template.

In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, on the E-mail Rules tab, choose New Rule.

In the Rules Wizard, under Step 1: Select a template, pick one of the default templates under Stay Organized, Stay Up to Date, or, Start from a blank rule.

Step 2: Edit the rule description

Each one of the rule templates that you chose in Step 1 has slightly different options for Step 2. When the options require you to make a choice, for example to specify a sender or choose a folder, the option will be underlined. For this example, we've picked one of the most common rules, to move messages from someone to a folder.

Choose people or public group in the edit description box to display your address book. Either choose a name from your address book or type the person's address in the From box, then choose OK.

Choose specified to display a list of your folders. You can choose an existing folder or choose New to create a new folder. When you've selected the appropriate folder, choose OK.

If you want to explore advanced options for the rule, choose Next and then skip to Advanced Rule Options, below. Otherwise, choose Finish. This returns you to the Rules and Alerts window. From here, you can create another rule or choose OK to save your changes.

• Move messages from someone to a folder

Choose the people or public folder link.

In the Rule Address dialog box, do one of the following:

In the Search box, type a name.

or

In the Address Book list, choose a source.

When your selection is displayed in the From box, choose OK.

Choose the specified folder link, and in the Rules and Alerts dialog box, choose a folder, and then choose OK.

Choose Next and go to Step 3: Set conditions for a rule.

• Move messages with specific words in the subject to a folder

Choose the specific words the subject link.

In the Search Text dialog box, in the Specify words or phrases to search for in the subject box, type a word or phrase to be searched for.

Choose Add to add your entry to the Search list pane, and then choose OK.

Choose the specified folder link, and in the Rules and Alerts dialog box, choose a folder, and then choose OK.

Choose Next and go to Step 3: Set conditions for a rule.

• Move messages sent to a public group to a folder

Choose the people or public folder link.

In the Rule Address dialog box, do one of the following:

In the Search box, type a name.

or

In the Address Book list, choose a source.

When your selection is displayed in the To box, choose OK.

Choose the specified folder link, and in the Rules and Alerts dialog box, choose a folder, and then choose OK.

Choose Next and go to Step 3: Set conditions for a rule.

• Flag messages from someone for follow-up

Choose the people or public folder link.

In the Rule Address dialog box, do one of the following:

In the Search box, type a name.

or

In the Address Book list, choose a source.

When your selection is displayed in the From box, choose OK.

In the Flag Message dialog box, in the Flag to box, accept the default setting of Follow up, or choose another item in the list.

In the For box, accept the default setting of Today or choose another item in the list.

Choose OK > Next, and then go to Step 3: Set conditions for a rule.

• Move RSS items from a specific RSS Feed to a folder

Note: To use this option, you must subscribe to an RSS feed. When you choose this option, there is a prompt to continue. If you choose No, you can't proceed, but if you choose Yes, you can.

Stay Up to Date template

• Display mail from someone in the New Item Alert Window

Choose the people or public folder link.

In the Rule Address dialog box, do one of the following:

In the Search box, type a name.

or

In the Address Book list, choose a source.

When your selection is displayed in the From box, choose OK.

Choose the specific message in the New Item Alert window link.

In the Alert Message dialog box, in the Specify an alert message box, type a message, and then choose OK.

Choose Next, and then go to Step 3: Set conditions for a rule.

• Play a sound when I get messages from someone

Choose the people or public folder link.

In the Rule Address dialog box, do one of the following:

In the Search box, type a name.

or

In the Address Book list, choose a source.

When your selection is displayed in the From box, choose OK.

Choose the play a sound link, and in the Select a Sound to Play window, choose a file (for example, a .wav file), and then choose Open.

Choose Next, and then go to Step 3: Set conditions for a rule.

• Send an alert to my mobile device when I get messages from someone

Choose the people or public folder link.

In the Rule Address dialog box, do one of the following:

In the Search box, type a name.

or

In the Address Book list, choose a source.

When your selection is displayed in the From box, choose OK.

Choose the forward it to people or public group link.

In the Rules Address dialog box, do one of the following:

In the Search box, type a name.

or

In the Address Book list, choose a source.

When your selection is displayed in the To box, choose OK.

Choose Next, and then go to Step 3: Set conditions for a rule.

Start from a blank rule template

Choose one of the following.

Apply rule on messages I receive

or

Apply rule on messages I send

Choose Next, and then go to Step 3: Set conditions for a rule.

Step 3: Set conditions for a rule

You now have the opportunity to add conditions to the options you chose in Step 2: Edit the rule description. Based on the conditions you select, the options available to edit the rule description will vary.

Under Step 1: Select condition(s), select the check box for the condition you want to add.

Note: You can select multiple check boxes.

Under Step 2: Edit the rule description (click an underlined value), choose a link, complete the required actions, and when done, choose OK.

Choose the next link, complete the required actions, and when done, choose OK.

If another link is available, choose it, complete the required actions, and when done, choose OK.

You can create a rule from any message. The advantage of this method is that rules are suggested based on the message sender or recipient. For example, when you start with a message, one rule that is suggested moves all messages from the sender to a folder that you choose.

In your Inbox, choose the message you want to create a rule for, and then on the Home tab, in the Move group, choose Rules.

Note: In the Rules list, suggested rules appear based on the message sender and recipients.

Do one of the following:

Choose a suggested rule, choose a destination folder, and then choose OK to complete the assignment of a rule.

or

Choose Create Rule and go to the next step.

In the Create Rule dialog box, under When I get e-mail with all of the selected conditions, select none or one or more of the available check boxes.

Under Do the following, select the check boxes for the action you want the rule to take when the specified conditions (criteria) are met.

Select the Move the item folder check box.

Do one of the following:

Choose Select Folder and pick an existing folder.

or

Choose New to create a folder.

Notes:

To add more conditions, actions, or exceptions to the rule, choose Advanced Options, and then follow the rest of the instructions in the Rules Wizard.

Server-based rulesWhen you're using a Microsoft Exchange Server account, some rules are server-based. These rules run on your mailbox on the Exchange mail server even when Outlook isn’t running.

Server-based rules must apply to messages when they are first delivered to your Inbox, and the rules must be able to run until they are completed on the server. For example, a rule that specifies that a message be printed can’t run until it is completed on the server. If a rule can’t be applied on the server, it is applied when you start Outlook and then becomes a client-only rule.

Client-only rulesClient-only rules are rules that run only on your computer. These are rules that run in Outlook instead of on the Exchange server. Client-only rules can only run when Outlook is running.

Tip: If your list of rules contains both kinds of rules, the server-based rules are applied first, followed by the client-only rules.

When rules are applied, delivery receipts, read receipts, voting responses, and Automatic Replies (Out of Office notifications) are processed as if they're messages. A rule that moves messages with the word "meeting" in the Subject box to a specific folder, for example, also moves all delivery receipts, voting responses, or an Automatic Replies to that same folder.

Note: When a rule moves voting responses from the Inbox to another folder, vote tracking is affected. When a sent message that included a voting button is opened, the tracking information won’t include a tally for responses that a rule moved. Manually moving or deleting a response doesn’t affect tracking.

Meeting requests, task requests, and documents

Meeting requests, task requests, and documents are considered messages. If you create a rule that moves an item to a specific folder based on certain conditions (criteria) being met (matched), then any meeting and task request matching those conditions also is moved. Be aware, however, of the following limitations when you create rules that affect these kinds of items:

If an item is moved to a folder other than a mail folder, the item might not work as expected after it's moved. For example, if a message is moved to the Calendar folder, a new appointment isn’t created.

If a meeting or task response is moved to the Deleted Items folder by using a rule, the response isn’t tracked by the original item.

If a meeting request is automatically moved to the Deleted Items folder, the meeting isn’t added to the Calendar.

Rules that affect messages that you send aren’t applied to task requests and meeting requests.

Contact Groups

A rule that includes a Contact Group can behave differently than other rules depending on how the rule is created.

Move messages sent to a public group to a folderThis rule is available only if you're using an Exchange Server account. Only messages that are sent to the Contact Group are moved to the specified folder. Messages from people who are members of the Contact Group aren’t moved to the specified folder.

How rules help you manage email messages

A rule is an action that Microsoft Outlook takes automatically on an arriving or sent message that meets the conditions that you specify in the rule. You can choose many conditions and actions by using the Rules Wizard.

Rules fall into one of two categories — organization and notification. Rules don’t operate on messages that have been read, only on those that are unread.

The Rules Wizard includes templates for the most frequently used rules, which include the following:

Stay Organized These rules help you file and follow up on messages. For example, you can create a rule for messages from a specific sender, such as Bobby Moore, with the word "sales" in the Subject line, to be flagged for follow-up, categorized as Sales, and moved to a folder named Bobby's Sales.

Stay Up to Date These rules notify you in some way when you receive a particular message. For example, you can create a rule that automatically sends an alert to your mobile device when you receive a message from a family member.

Start from a blank rule These are rules that you create without the aid of a rule template and that you can completely customize.

Create a rule

Outlook includes rule templates for common scenarios. Use these rule templates, or create design your own custom rules.

Use Outlook rule templates

Click the File tab.

Click Manage Rules & Alerts.

In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, on the E-mail Rules tab, click New Rule.

Under Step 1: Select a template, select the template that you want from the Stay Organized or Stay Up to Date collection of templates.

Under Step 2: Edit the rule description, click an underlined value. For example, if you click the people or public group link, the Address Book opens.

Click Next.

Under Step 1: Select condition(s), select the conditions that you want the messages to meet for the rule to apply.

Under Step 2: Edit the rule description, click an underlined value for any condition that you added, and then specify the value.

Click Next.

Under Step 1: Select action(s), select the action that you want the rule to take when the specified conditions are met.

Under Step 2: Edit the rule description, click an underlined value for any action that you added, and then specify the value.

Click Next.

Under Step 1: Select exception(s), select any exceptions to the rule, and then click Next.

Under Step 2: Edit the rule description, click an underlined value for any exception that you added, and then specify the value.

Click Next.

Under Step 1: Specify a name for this rule, enter a name.

Under Step 2: Setup rule options, select the check boxes for the options that you want.

If you want to run this rule on messages that already are in the Inbox, select the Run this rule now on messages already in “Inbox" check box.

By default, the new rule is turned on. To turn off the rule, clear the Turn on this rule check box.

To apply this rule to all email accounts set up in Outlook, select the Create this rule on all accounts check box.

A rule can be quickly created from any message. The advantage of creating a rule in this manner is that rules are suggested based on the message sender or recipients. For example, when you start with a message, one rule that is suggested moves all messages from that sender to a folder that you choose.

Click the message for which you want to create a rule, and then on the Home tab, in the Move group, click Rules.

Suggested rules appear based on the message sender and recipients.

Do one of the following:

Click one of the suggested rules, click a destination folder, and then click OK.

For more rules options that are based on the sender, recipients, or subject of the message, click Create Rule.

If you chose Create Rule in step 2, the Create Rule dialog box appears. Continue with the following steps.

Under When I get e-mail with all of the selected conditions, select the check boxes for the conditions that you want.

Under Do the following, select the check boxes for the action that you want the rule to take when the specified conditions are met.

Select the Move the item to folder check box.

Click an existing folder or click New to create a folder to store the messages.

To add more conditions, actions, or exceptions to the rule, click Advanced Options, and then follow the rest of the instructions in the Rules Wizard. This is the same wizard that appears when you click Manage Rules & Alerts in the Backstage view (by clicking the File tab). See Design a custom rule for more information.

There are two types of rules in Outlook — server-based and client-only.

Server-based rules If you are using a Microsoft Exchange Server account, some rules that you create are server-based rules. These rules run on your mailbox on the Exchange mail server, even when Outlook isn’t running on your computer. Server-based rules must apply to messages when they are first delivered to your Inbox, and the rules must be able to run until they are completed on the server. For example, a rule that specifies that a message be printed can’t run until it is completed on the server. If a rule can’t be applied on the server, it is applied when you start Outlook and becomes a client-only rule.

Client-only rules Client-only rules are rules that run only on your computer. These are rules that can’t run until they are completed on the server, such as specifying to print certain messages. Client-only rules can only run when Outlook is running.

If your list of rules contains both kinds of rules, the server-based rules are applied first, followed by the client-only rules.

Applying rules to other Outlook items

When rules are applied, delivery receipts, read receipts, voting responses, and Automatic Replies (Out of Office notifications) are processed as if they are messages. For example, a rule that moves items with the word "meeting" in the subject to a specific folder, also moves all delivery receipts, voting responses, or an Automatic Reply that contains the word "meeting" in the subject.

Note: When a rule moves voting responses from the Inbox to another folder, your vote tracking is affected. When you open a sent message that included voting button, the tracking information won’t include a tally for responses that a rule moved. Manually moving or deleting a response doesn’t affect the tracking.

When applying rules, meeting requests, task requests, and documents are treated as messages. For example, when you create a rule that moves items with the word "meeting" in the Subject box to a specific folder, any task request or meeting request that meets that condition is moved also. However, be aware the following limitations when you create rules that affect these kinds of items:

An item moved to a folder other than a mail folder might not work as expected after it is moved. For example, if a message is moved to the Calendar folder, a new appointment isn’t created.

If a meeting or task response is moved to the Deleted Items folder by using a rule, the response isn’t tracked by the original item.

If a meeting request is automatically moved to the Deleted Items folder, the meeting isn’t added to the Calendar.

Rules that affect messages that you send aren’t applied to task requests and meeting requests.

Contact Groups

A rule that includes a Contact Group can behave differently depending on how the rule is created.

Move messages sent to a Contact Group folder This rule is available only if you are using an Exchange Server account. Only messages that are sent to the Contact Group are moved to the specified folder. Messages from people who are members of the Contact Group aren’t moved to the specified folder.

If you are using a Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 account, by default, you can’t use rules to forward messages to email addresses outside your organization. This setting helps prevent confidential and private organizational information from being disclosed. This setting can only be changed by an Exchange administrator.

How rules help you manage messages

A rule is an action that Microsoft Outlook takes automatically on an arriving or sent message that meets the conditions that you specify in the rule. You can choose many conditions and actions by using the Rules and Alerts Wizard. Rules do not operate on message that have been read, only on those that are unread.

Rules fall into one of two general categories: organization and notification. The Rules and Alerts Wizard contains templates for the most commonly used rules.

Stay organized These are rules that help you to file and follow up on messages. For example, you can create a rule for messages from a specific sender, such as Bobby Moore, with the word "sales" in the Subject line, to be flagged for follow-up, categorized as Sales, and moved to a folder called Bobby's Sales.

Stay up-to-date These are rules that notify you in some way when you receive a particular message. For example, you can create a rule that automatically sends an alert to your mobile telephone when you receive a message from a family member.

Start from a blank rule These are rules that you create from scratch.

Figure 1: The Rules and Alerts Wizard contains several predefined rules, called templates.

Exceptions

You can add exceptions to your rules for special circumstances, such as when a message is flagged for follow-up action or is marked with high importance. A rule is not applied to a message if even one of the exceptions that you specify is met.

You can create a rule directly from a message. For example, you can create a rule to move messages from someone to a specific folder.

Right-click the message that you want to base the rule on, and then click Create Rule on the shortcut menu.

In the Create Rule dialog box, select the check boxes for the options that are already filled in with information from your selected message.

Select the Move the item to folder check box.

Click an existing folder or click New to create a new folder to store the messages.

To add more conditions, actions, or exceptions to the rule, click Advanced Options, and then follow the rest of the instructions in the Rules and Alerts Wizard.

Tip To run the rule as soon as you create it, select the Run this rule now on the messages already in folder check box on the last page of the Rules and Alerts Wizard.

All the messages in your Inbox, or any folder that you choose, that meet the conditions and exceptions associated with the rule are moved to the specified folder. To test your new rule, open your new folder. Were the correct messages moved?

Server-based rules If you have a Microsoft Exchange account, the server can apply rules to your messages even if Outlook is not running. These are called server-based rules. The rules must be set to be applied to messages when they are delivered to your Inbox on the server, and the rules must be able to run to completion on the server. For example, a rule cannot run to completion on the server if the action specifies that a message be printed. If a rule cannot be applied on the server, it is applied when you start Outlook.

Client-only rules A "client" is the e-mail program that runs on an individual's computer. A rule that cannot be applied by the server is a "client-only rule" because it runs only on the individual's computer. If your list of rules contains rules that can be run on the server as well as those that cannot, the server-based rules are applied first, followed by the client-only rules.

Delivery receipts, read receipts, voting responses, and out-of-office notices are treated as messages. For example, when you create a rule that moves items with the word "meeting" in the Subject box to a specific folder, all delivery receipts, voting responses, and out-of-office messages that meet this condition are moved as well.

Note: If a voting response is moved out of the Inbox, the response is not automatically tracked in the original message.

Meeting requests, task requests, and documents are treated as messages. For example, when you create a rule that moves items with the word "meeting" in the Subject box to a specific folder, any task request or meeting request that meets that condition is moved as well. However, keep in mind the following limitations when you create rules that affect these types of items:

An item moved to a nonmail folder might not work as you expect after it is moved. For example, if a message is moved to the Calendar folder, a new appointment is not created.

If a meeting or task response is moved to the Deleted Items folder by using a rule, the response is not tracked by the original item.

If a meeting request is automatically moved to the Deleted Items folder, the meeting is not added to the Calendar.

Rules that affect messages that you send are not applied to task requests and meeting requests.

A new rule for a distribution list will behave differently depending on how you create the rule:

Move messages sent to a distribution list to a folder If you choose this rule template, only messages that are sent to the distribution list are moved to the specified folder. Messages from individuals who happen to be on the distribution list will not be moved to the specified folder.

Note: This rule works only for Exchange accounts.

Move messages from someone to a folder If you choose this rule template, messages from any individuals who are members of the distribution list that you specify are also moved to the specified folder.

If you work in an organization that uses Exchange, by default, messages you forward to external e-mail addresses outside your organization using a rule will not be sent. This setting is to help prevent corporate data from being disclosed and is controlled by your Exchange administrator.